Why Raptors fans should be prepared for anything next season

The first 2021-22 NBA win totals for betting purposes were released this week, and the Toronto Raptors’ line is currently set at 37.5. Toronto (or, technically, Tampa Bay) won 27 games last season and finished 12th in the Eastern Conference, which put them at around 33 wins over the course of an 82-game season.

There were plenty of reasons to point to why the Raptors lost more games than expected last season: playing in Tampa, a mid-season Covid outbreak on the roster that derailed their chances at the playoffs, injuries, and the team’s decision to rest players instead of chasing a play-in tournament berth in the final weeks of the season. Those are all valid reasons, but they don’t take away from the fact the Raptors had a flawed roster and were probably a slightly better than .500 team, even if everything fell their way.

The biggest question heading into this upcoming season will centre around how this team can replace Kyle Lowry. It won’t be one single player who will take on the role. Instead, it will be a by-committee approach across several positions on the roster, which will have to make up for losing the player who was Toronto’s engine for successful seasons for the past nine years.

Here’s the best-case scenario for the Raptors. They return home to Toronto and get a boost from the home fans. Pascal Siakam plays at an all-star level on both ends of the floor. OG Anunoby raises his offensive ceiling and continues his All-Defensive play. Gary Trent Jr. takes another step in his development in his first full season with the team. Scottie Barnes is a work in progress on offence but a consistent bench contributor right away. Malachi Flynn builds on his encouraging Summer League performance and is the point guard of a second unit that includes Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa. Khem Birch fortifies the starting centre position, which was a glaring weakness for most of last season. Goran Dragic brings the team back another helpful player in a trade.

If everything falls in place, Toronto can be a team nobody wants to play in the regular season. They become a version of the Raptors we’ve come to know — a team that takes care of business against weaker competition and gives itself a puncher’s chance against the best teams in the league. They become a top-10 defensive team, which will help offset the growing pains on offence.

In the best-case scenario, what is the ceiling for this roster? Is it 45 wins? Perhaps 50? And if that’s the case, should the Raptors be chasing a top-four seed and winning a playoff round versus using this upcoming season as another transition year?

The most likely scenario is that a few of the things above end up coming to fruition, while other players will need another year to develop or fall short of expectations. It feels more likely the Raptors will be in the range of 40 to 45 wins. This leads to another question: should the team once again value another lottery pick over chasing a playoff spot?

The Brooklyn Nets are the favourites to win it all. The Milwaukee Bucks are the defending champions. Even with the Ben Simmons situation hovering over the Philadelphia 76ers, they’ll be a contender as long as Joel Embiiid is healthy. Miami added Lowry and P.J. Tucker. Atlanta is coming off an inspiring postseason run.

That’s five teams that should make the playoffs, which leaves the rest to fight for one more playoff spot and four play-in spots. This tier includes Boston, New York, Chicago, Indiana, and Charlotte, who all seem to have a wide range of potential outcomes, from a surprise top-four seed to missing the play-in tournament altogether.

The Raptors are in this group. For the first time in almost a decade, there is plenty of uncertainty heading into the season about how good the roster is. Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster are not building a championship contender this season. They’re plotting for the long-term and need to figure out which players on this current roster can help accelerate their timeline to contention. Part of this season will be an evaluation process.

Toronto may be right back in the mix as a playoff team next season. It also wouldn’t be a surprise if it's on the fringes of the postseason race and facing the same decision as last year: whether to shut the season down and prepare for the draft or go for a play-in tournament spot. For Raptors fans, it’s best to prepare for anything and everything next season.

More from Yahoo Sports